The Story of AtomicZombeh - A Zombie Fan-Fiction
by OneofThem93
Summary: "Life was easy going. My boss was a complete ass and I was nearing the end of my shift. As I put out my cigarette, I didn't know the next moment would change my future forever. That fucker bit me. Now my body is becoming completely different. The infection caused by the bite is changing my entire being. I'm now one of them. I'm an infected. I'm a survivor. I'm...AtomicZombeh."
1. Chapter 1: Beginning of the End

_Disclaimer -_ (Fair Warning: I'm not going to be posting chapters as much as I should, but it will be what I do in my off time. There will be language in this, so if you don't like a lot of curse words, don't read it. I am the sole creator of this story. I made it up as a story following the name of my gamertag.) **  
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*Chapter One: The Beginning of the End.***

 _Four long nights of desire and a gnawing need to chew on human flesh. The need to survive by killing those around me. Crimson skies overhead show the eerie glow of fiery wastelands that were once great cities. It all fell within a matter of hours. By night fall on the first day, it was all but lost. London. Paris. Berlin. Washington D.C.. Tokyo. All but lost to a memory of once being something. The walking dead were now the rulers; the cause for the pure destruction that was cast upon this world. Had we caused this? Was it the government? Was it some greater power? The questions continued in my head even as my body craved flesh. Begged for it to be fed the slowly clotting muscles of humankind. But I am still human. I can fight this. I must survive. I am one of them. I am one of the immune. I am...AtomicZombeh._

 **Z-Day | 2 hours before the frenzy**

"I am forever to be stuck in this dead-end job. Nothing is ever going to go right."

"Don't give up, just yet, Ms. Hayes. It seems everything is looking up for you if you continue to work and don't slouch all day! There are customers to be helped. If you want that promotion, you'd better shape up!" Mr. Morgansfield shouted in his usual tone.

I sighed as he spoke to me. I kept imagining him to shut up, but that wasn't working. It wasn't working like it usually does in one of the video games I created. Yeah, video game designer is working in a shitty grocery store to make ends meet. What a life. Heh, seemed like nothing was ever going to go my way. I finished sweeping up a spill that a bratty kid had caused. The kid even laughed at me. The kid's mom just ignored everything that was going on. I wanted to hit him upside the head so bad, it just made my blood boil. But I kept my cool. I was like Sakura Haruno, an anime character. On the outside, I kept my smile bright and nodded my head in appreciation, but on the inside - I was ready to fucking explode.

As soon as I was done with that, I went back to sacking groceries that snotty-assed customers would buy. Mr. Morgansfield was always close by - seemingly watching my every move. It was either that, or he was thinking something lude. Typical of a pig-headed asshole with a little-man complex, I thought to myself as I waved in his direction, acknowledging that he was there.

"Finally! Shift is almost done," I spoke to Ashley the cashier as I looked to my watch.

"Yeah, but you won't really be here much longer if you don't straighten up. You make it so hard for the rest of us, Anna," the peppy blonde explained.

I just rolled my eyes at her comment and proceeded to go on my last break of the day. I knew that it was only a matter of time before Mr. Morgansfield would be coming to cut it short with his spittle in my face as he barks orders. There was so much work today in particular because several people called in sick. Even Josh, the hot deli guy had called in - and he is the pride of Mr. Morgansfield. Always showing up on time, kissing ass and so forth. I shrugged as I put out my cigarette and started to walk back in the store. But someone caught my attention. It was Josh. He was in his uniform and everything, but something was off about him. He had this god-awful stain on his shirt. That was not like him. He never showed up anything less than spic and span. "Hey Josh," I called out to him. But his attention never wavered. He seemed quite out of it. Hell, if he was high, I'd have to get me some of that shit.

"Joshua Thames! You show up now of all times! It isn't even your shift!" Mr. Morgansfield barked as he walked out the front of the store to confront the employee. I watched as it all unfolded. What happened next surprised the hell out of me. "What is wrong with you man?" Mr. Morgansfield said as he placed his hand on Josh's shoulder. Josh opened his mouth wide as if to speak and yet, he didn't. He grabbed hold of my boss's arm and bit a huge chunk out of his limb. My boss's scream was blood-curdling as I pressed myself up against the store. Mr. Morgansfield collapsed before Josh as Josh continued on towards the store.

"What the hell?! What the fuck, Josh?! You bit him!" My cries were to deaf ears as I looked behind him. There were more people filing in - all at the same pace. As Josh got closer, I realized that he looked like something from my Left 4 Dead video game. "Oh holy shit! Get back!" I pleaded, again to deaf ears. More of the people that were nothing but walking corpses began to take over the people that were in the parking lot. Attacking the living. It was something straight out of a Romero flick - it just didn't seem right!

Ashley came outside when she heard the screams and let out one of her own as she was grabbed from behind - a zombie grabbed her by the neck and began to devour her skin, down to the muscle and bone. I turned to look at her. My heart was beating out of my chest. I could feel it in my ears. It was all too much. I pushed past Josh and ran out into the parking lot hoping to get in my car and leave this place. I was grabbed. "Let go of me!" I screamed as I realized it was Mr. Morgansfield. But he wasn't himself. It was as I suspected. He had been turned into one of them as well. His grip was inhuman. I couldn't pull away until...until he attacked me. His teeth gnawed into my arm like a dog to a meaty bone. I winced in pain as I pulled away from him, kicking him in the face. That's what I was always wanting - but not like this. "Not like this!" I screamed out loud.

I ran to my vehicle and proceeded to get in. Fumbling around with the keys, I finally started the ignition. More of the zombie bastards were crowding my 4-runner when I shifted into drive and sped off - running over numerous people. "Fuck! Ahh fuck! This fucking hurts!" I cried in agony as I watched the skin around the bite start to darken. It was starting to decompose on my very body and scaring the crap out of me. I felt myself become nauseuous as I stopped at an intersection. I held my vomit in for a moment before I rolled down the window to puke. I finally gained control of my body once again as I gasped seeing the destruction before me.

Philadelphia. Building smoldering and erupting into flames. Cars smashed into one another. People screaming and crying in agony. The walking dead attacking all those around me. "When...when did this happen? It was all fine this morning.." I looked at the time on my dashboard and realized it was only 1pm. How could so much go so wrong in such a small amount of time?

My arm was in searing pain again as I looked into the rear view mirror. My normally blue eyes were turning a golden color - then one turned a bright red while the other returned to blue. My hair seemed to be falling out at the roots. Oh fuck. I couldn't be turning into one of them. I cried out as I began to drive once more. I had to get home. I had to stop this somehow. I sped off and nearly crashed into numerous people. I couldn't help it if they were alive or dead - I had to help myself! I pulled into the driveway of my house and could hardly breathe. I stepped out and wandered inside, slamming the door behind me. I could hear the cries and moans of the people outside, as well as the people that weren't really people any longer.

I climbed the stairs to go into the bathroom and looked in the mirror. I ripped my shirt off and noticed that there were numerous veins beginning to pop under my skin. My breasts were covered in the veins as I looked at my reflection. I gasped seeing the destruction to my body. Just what the fuck was this?! I wrapped my arm up in some gauze, wincing at the pain it was causing to even do that. I grabbed some fresh clothes and began to put them on. My breathing was still erratic but I still had control of myself.

I wasn't turning into one of those...those things. Not yet anyway. I didn't know how long I would be able to last as myself. I was truly scared. I didn't want to die like this. I walked downstairs into the kitchen and turned on the TV. I had a backpack with me just in case I needed to leave in a hurry. Most of the channels were in the dark but CNN was still going.

 _"In a recent turn of events, the recently deceased are returning to a semi-life state and attacking innocent citizens. Our reporter out in the field was attacked and we haven't been able to get an update on her condition as of late. All that we here at CNN know is this is not normal. The U.S. Government, as well as those around the world, are denying any involvement with this epidemic. As of late, cities around the world are facing similar issues as the cities and towns here in America are experiencing. Paris has been set ablaze. London is in the dark as well with last reports coming from the region saying the royal family has succumbed to similar symptoms that the rest of the world is dealing with. Moscow and Tokyo have gone completely silent. We-we are unsu-what else-could happen-stay in yo-sta-within safety regulat-do not encount-if at all-pos-"_

"Fuck! No!" I screamed as I hit the TV. I changed the channel but nothing else was going on. There was no other news coming through the little set I had on the counter. "Fucking hell!" I exclaimed as I began to put canned goods into the backpack. I had always played video games that were apocalyptic, but I never could have imagined this would happen. Not now. Not in my lifetime anyway. I reached into the closet and pulled out a baseball bat. I had to get out of town. It was only a matter of time before they would find their way ins-oh hell.. Too late..

I froze as I heard a cackling noise behind me. I turned around and noticed it wasn't a normal infected. The body was stretched out, the lower torso mangled and partially bulging. I looked into the face of the zombie and stepped back. The neck was stretched as a greenish ooze was leaking from the mouth. "Oh hell no.." I started to swing at the infected and then stopped short when it tilted its head. It seemed to not want to hurt me. What the hell is going on?

I stepped around the infected person and headed out the door. There were numerous people around that had already turned. A bunch of them were my neighbors. I made my way to my car only to find the keys missing. "Ah fuck.." I reached into the backpack trying to find my spares only to find the keys to my motorbike. The zombies were starting to crowd around me but I wasn't being attacked. It made no sense. They had followed and chased me only a little while ago.

I walked to the garage and hopped on the motorbike. I pulled out of the driveway and put on my helmet. My face had turned a pale color, as had the rest of my body. My heartbeat was faint and my breathing shallow. But I wasn't dead yet. I could still think. I could still feel. It made no sense whatsoever. I started up the motorbike and sped off down the street, avoiding the undead. I stopped at a stop sign to see where to go. Then they swarmed again. It wasn't many, but enough to make me crazy. One of them touched me and I slapped the arm away, breaking the limb free of the walking corpse. My strength had increased. I was about to freak out. This was all too much!

"Just what the fuck is going on with me?!" I screamed as I slammed my fist through an infected's head, smashing it to bits.


	2. Chapter 2: Avoid Survivors!

_Disclaimer -_ (Fair Warning: I'm not going to be posting chapters as much as I should, but it will be what I do in my off time. There will be language in this, so if you don't like a lot of curse words, don't read it. I am the sole creator of this story.) ****

 ***Chapter Two: Avoid Survivors - They only want to kill me!***

Blood was now spattered on my hand as I revved the motor of my bike. My shirt is completely torn from those bastards trying to grab at me. I was only able to get away after hitting the fuckers in the head. Not only with my bat but with my fists. It didn't even hurt. It was as if I had the super human strength as well. I looked at my reflection once again as I rode along the highway. My eyes were glowing brightly and my hair was thinning. But it wasn't falling out as much as it had been. I looked back up to the highway as it was littered with cars and the dead. I swerved around as many of them as I could. Then I heard gunshots over the grind of the engine. After I checked my surroundings so I wouldn't be attacked so close, I turned off the motor. I listened for the gunshots. My hearing was keener. I must be one of those fuckers. Perhaps these things had thoughts and feelings. No. That couldn't be it. It couldn't be that simple. If that were the case, they wouldn't be attacking people at all. Craving flesh. Speaking of craving something. I grabbed my abdomen and felt a gnawing hunger there. "Oh fuck no, I won't do that.." I was starving. The need for flesh flooded my brain as I sat there on the bike. I shook my head as I continued to listen for the gunshots from earlier.

 _Bang, bang._ I heard it once again. I revved up the bike and rode towards the sound. There were survivors. But should I go near them? I looked to them and they stopped after they shot down the undead before them. One of the men had a scar above his eye, fresh by the looks of it. The other man was holding an ax. I started to take off my helmet and then I remembered how I looked.

"Yo, baby.. A little lost huh? We could use your help with these fuckers," the man with the scar exclaimed as I lowered the helmet back down to rest it on my shoulders. I didn't even take it off. I stepped off the bike and pulled my jacket on to cover my arms, so they wouldn't want to shoot me on sight. I took my bat in hand and swung it over the heads of a few of the zombies nearby, dispersing of the rest of them.

The man with the ax lowered it and sighed. "Whew, been a long few hours. I'm Shaun.." He extended his hand and I shook it gently, not really wanting to get too friendly. I remember hearing stuff about how people might go crazy after a while. I just didn't want to get mixed up in that sort of thing. The man with the scar shrugged as he reloaded the shotgun. "Oscar.." he spoke with a gruff tone.

I smiled from behind the helmet visor. "I'm..." I mumbled, stopping what I was saying. I didn't want to give them my real name. Didn't seem right. "You can call me..." I paused once more. "AtomicZombeh, or A.Z. for short."

"A.Z. huh?" Shaun muttered. "What type of name is that?"

In truth, it was the only name I could think of. It was one I was quite accustomed to on the forums and on XBOX Live. It was truly my gamertag from many days of playing zombie-infused horror shooters. "A codename of sorts.." I responded. Yeah, that sounds right. A codename. It was a name for me. Because now that I am infected with whatever this shit is, I'm not really Anna Hayes anymore. Not the 22 year old game designer that got fired for mentioning a sequel game to the board of directors and then had to become a bag-girl at the local Stop 'n Shop. I'm just...AtomicZombeh. "In truth guys, not really comfortable with giving you my actual name."

"Oh no! Don't worry. It's quite alright. I think I could get used to it," Shaun responded. Oscar seemed a little more distant. He had a look about him that reminded me of a game character. Nick, I think it was - from Left 4 Dead.

"Why don't you remove that pretty little helmet and let us see what you look like," Oscar mumbled as he cocked his shotgun. I stepped back from him and bumped into my bike. Was he onto what I had become? I wasn't sure, but this wouldn't be safe for long. "I said, remove that fucking helmet, bitch!" Oscar lowered the barrel and aimed it right at me.

"What the fuck, man? She's not one of them. Have you completely lost it?" Shaun said trying to reason with his comrade. "She's talking with us. She's not one of them."

Oscar pulled away from Shaun and kept his aim steady on me. "Are you fucking insane, Shaun? This fucking cunt may be walking and talking, but she's certainly one of them!" He fired the loaded round into the ground, causing it to ricochet off and hit an infected in the head. "I said fucking remove that goddamn helmet! Last fucking warning!"

"Oscar! Stop, you're going to get us all killed!" Shaun was pleading now trying to block Oscar's path.

I pulled off my jacket and slung it over the bike, before I slid the bat into the side-slot. "Man, you really don't want to do that. I'll just be going." I jumped on the bike and Shaun glanced over at me as he was holding Oscar back.

"Oh fuck! She's got pale skin! How can that be?! She can't be talking and be one of them!" Shaun had certainly changed his tune now. "Fucking shoot her!" I kickstarted my motorbike and drove past them. Oscar fired the shotgun once more. The sound damn near shattered my eardrum. The pinging wasn't stopping as I continued down the alley to leave. Even survivors couldn't be trusted. Not when I look like this. I pulled off my helmet and slung the strap over my shoulder. My hair flowed in the wind behind me as I continued to hear gunshots. They were still shooting after me? Perhaps a group of the undead surrounded them. Shaun seemed like a nice guy at first, but that's what they all appear to be.

I kept riding. Tears fell from my eyes as they were lit up by the eerie glow from the sunset. I didn't know where I was going to go. I just knew I needed to get the fuck away from everything. Perhaps if only I could crash.. The impact would kill me and I wouldn't be this...this abomination that I had turned out to be. I closed my eyes as I started to feel the bike drift but something inside of me caused me to straighten the handles. Was it my humanity? Was the real me still clinging on to what was left? I'm not sure but something made me continue to ride even in this hour of hell. The sun was nearing the time it would set and I knew I needed to get off the streets.

I turned the corner only to come in contact with a bunch of survivors. They all started to scream. "Hey look! It's a police officer! They've come to save us!" Everyone started cheering as I sped up. The looks on their faces showed hope through the despair. I saw children standing by holding knives and blunt objects. But I couldn't stop. I just couldn't. I revved the motor once more and sped past them. "Fuck! No! Stop! Come back!" was all I heard. My tear-stained cheeks were now drying as I came to a realization. I must avoid survivors. They only want to kill me. They wouldn't accept the real me. The me that has become this monster. Half human and half...half blood thirsty vile creature.

Speaking of blood thirsty. The need for flesh entered my brain yet again. I grabbed my abdomen as I passed another survivor. Sustenance. That's what I need. I needed something to help me get through the approaching night. But that was wrong. The human within me was screaming bloody terror that devouring another human would be utterly wrong. But the death that flowed through my veins craved meat. Human meat. It craved something that was so taboo, so forbidden. What in the hell am I going to do?

"What in the hell am I to do?!" I screamed in terror as the gnawing sensation was damn near driving me mad.


	3. Chapter 3: Means of Survival

***Chapter Three: Means of Survival - The need for sustenance.***

 **Z-Day | 12 hours after the frenzy began**

 _Feed. Feed. Feed._ It was as if the hunger within me was crying out from my insides. I have to fight it. I just didn't know how right now. It is dark. The shadows are only enlightened by the fires that still rage. Buildings are still catching fire and the cries of the living are only dwindling. What replaces those cries are the moans of the dead. The moans and groans of the growing new race that takes over this world. It is as if Hell has opened up and made Earth its bitch. My heartbeat was still going but only slower. I was able to survive with this disease that has shown its wretched face upon this planet. But why am I any different? Are there others like me? Would they try to kill me on sight like the normal survivors had?

 _Feed._ Fuck. There it was again. That annoying pain in my ass that was this infection's craving need for flesh. I got to my feet and felt an instant rush of blood to my brain. The intensity of the pain was almost unbearable. "Ahhh, ahh!" I screamed out in agony as I heard the moans nearing me. I looked around and realized that I had attracted the dead with my screams. Wait, I can see them. It is fucking pitch black outside and I can see them. "It must be the infection heightening my senses," I thought to myself. I knew I couldn't ride the bike out after dark because of the headlights being out. They had been out way before this shit started, but I had been too lazy to fix them.

I didn't want to waste the gasoline anyway, so I started to walk. The infected seemed slower at night, even more so than during the day. Perhaps I'd be able to study this fucking pestilence and make a cure. Oh, who am I kidding? I'm no fucking scientist. I continued on my way. I knew there was a small market nearby. But it was probably up in smoke by now. I used to go there when I was a kid. My mom would give me a dollar and tell me to go get a candy bar so we could split it. We had been poor while I was growing up. Even though my cognitive thinking was waning with each passing moment as this infection spread throughout my veins, I can still remember my mother's dying words.

 _"Make something of yourself, baby. Prove to the world you're not a screw up. My family abandoned me when I had you. They called me a whore. They called me...a mistake. I couldn't handle it. Do better than everyone else, Anna.. You can do it."_

Then she gasped and took her last breath. Even now that I had become...this thing - I feel like I have failed my mother. I never made anything of myself. I just became a video game designer, then lost that job. But hell, all I wanted was a Left 4 Dead sequel. What was so bad about that? "Fucking assholes," I mumbled to myself as I remembered how they had security throw me out. About 2 months after that, my best friend Ashley had been the one that got me the job at the Stop 'n Shop. She mentioned it had a great health plan and good wages. But she didn't mention how much of a douche Mr. Morgansfield would be. I still think she was banging him and the only reason I got the job was he was probably promised that he'd get to bang me too. Well, tough luck on that. Probably didn't fire me because he didn't want a lawsuit on his hands. _Probably. Maybe. What if._

I shook my head. Memories wouldn't help me now. I have to continue onward towards whatever future I might have, if any. I turned the corner on Beckingsail Avenue and forced a smile to show on my lips. The old market was still standing, seemingly untouched. _"But that's what it always looks like. And it always ends up being a trap."_ I tightened the grip on my baseball bat and walked up to the door. I reached up under the old out of service phone booth and found the hide-a-key. The power was out and I didn't have a flashlight. But I knew where there was one.

I jumped over the counter and slipped my hand under the lip of the countertop. There was a switch there that released a flashlight. "Alright," I said as I caught it in my hand. It was an old maglite that the cops used. Old Man John showed me where everything was one time. He was a lonely old hermit and had no one else since his wife died. Who else to show than the girl that came in every other week no matter what? His reasoning? Just in case anyone ever held up the place. I thought it was crazy at the time - hell I was eight years old. Now, I couldn't be more appreciative of the old man. I flipped another switch under the cigarette case and a small machete dropped down.

I flipped on the flashlight and looked around. The place hadn't even been messed with. He probably never even made it in this morning. That saddened me, but hopefully he was okay. I couldn't be worried about anyone right now. I had to be concerned about what else I could find. I broke the case and grabbed two packs of cigarettes. Didn't know if it would help in the long run, but if I ever needed to light one up, I'd have them.

I walked around the store, looking for any type of food. _Feed. Feed._ That damn craving again. I grabbed my abdomen once more as my head throbbed with the desire once more. I walked to the back finding the meat case. I put my hand against the glass and realized that it was still cold within the case. There was a steak still on display. Not much was in there since I knew he had a sale last week, but there was something. _Feed!_ That was it. I didn't need to feed on human flesh. Just...flesh. I swung the maglite and broke the glass. I reached in and grabbed the meat. It was a bit bloody and I almost couldn't stomach the fact I would have to eat this raw.

No, I don't need to eat it raw. I walked in the back and turned on the small stove that was back there. The gas was still working at least. I threw a pan on the burner and threw the steak in. _"Just a little tint...that's all I need.."_ My mouth was watering as I watched the meat sizzle. Then I heard a crash. I turned around and shined the light. _"Fuck.."_ I held the maglite up and shined it towards the front of the store. There was a noise that sounded eerie. A high-pitched cackle then a hacking noise. It was like there was someone with a bad cold in the front of the store. "No..that can't be it. This is the fucking apocalypse.. Colds don't exist anymore.."

I walked out to the front of the store and noticed this tall looking zombie. It had a long dangling thing from its face. Its arm was covered in what seemed like boils. The smell emanating from the fucking walking corpse was terrible. Then it turned towards me. Its eyes were pure white and its face had even more boils than its arm. It wasn't attacking me. It just stared at me - if you can call that staring.

I walked up to it and raised the machete. It stared at me while I looked at it, as if to watch my every move. It made no sense. Why weren't the dead attacking me? I then raised the machete up against its neck, pulling back for a moment before slicing hard against the neck, chopping its head clean off. Greenish ooze spewed from the body before it collapsed on the floor. I kicked the head out the door before I turned to go back to my meal. I don't know what brought me to go ahead and kill the poor bastard, but...I felt it needed to be done. And yet, killing it made me feel horrible. Made me hate myself. I shook my head as I removed the steak from the pan. I wiped the machete clean and used it to cut into the meat.

There was still enough blood in the center. Medium-rare. Perhaps this would help me sustain a life as well as quell the desire from the infection. I licked my lips before I grabbed the whole steak and began to devour it. I was eating it like a fucking monster. Like a goddamned wild animal. I didn't even take a moment to savor the meat. It was filling. I licked the blood on my lips. Craving more. The feeling was not gone but it was satisfied. I leaned against the stove and looked down at the empty plate.

I wished there had been more. Perhaps I could survive without having to eat humans. Perhaps there is another way so people don't have to continue to die. But I knew that was just a fairy tale I was telling myself. I wanted more. But there wasn't anything else in John's store. No red meat anyway. I grabbed some packages of pepperoni and threw them in my backpack. I stepped over the zombie's corpse that I had killed. I made my trek back to the bike. The stars were starting to disappear from the sky as dawn was nearing. I looked to the hazy sky and questioned myself. "How long was I in there?" It seemed that time had gone faster. It made no sense.

I made it back to the bike and tied the backpack on. I could see in absolute darkness but I still wanted the flashlight. I slid it into another strap and tightened it. I kickstarted the bike and revved the motor. I knew that I'd have to find other means of travel soon enough, but this baby was maneuverable. I'd try to get something else eventually.

I rode off west. I didn't know where I was going. I knew I needed to get more than just the pepperoni that I had on me. I needed to survive. For that to happen, I need meat. I can make the best of this situation I make an effort. My breathing was still really slow and my heartbeat was even slower. I couldn't let this crap get the best of me. I need to survive. I need to make it. I need to... _Feed._ "Fucking hell!"


	4. Chapter 4: Survival in the Apocalypse

***Chapter Four: Survival of the Apocalypse - Where are the others like me?***

The sun has already risen on this death-stricken land. I've been travelling for a few hours and everything seems the same as it had in Philadelphia. Dead. Corpses. Walking. "Ugh..." My brain was on fire with agonizing pain. I could feel the infection continuing to spread throughout my body. My veins and muscles were aching. I could feel everything. The vibrations from the motor bike were seemingly increasing. My senses were fucking going crazy. I shook the haze from my eyes as I continued to drive this death-ridden road. My skin was even paler that it was yesterday. Feed. Oh fuck, not that again. I reached into my pocket and pulled out some pepperoni to munch on. It wasn't satisfying the rage that had seeped its way into my being, but it would help so I could get a lot further west.

As the sun rose higher in the sky, the temperature was rising as well. My hair was sticking to my face as I drove. I didn't have my helmet on. It was becoming a nuisance and was only causing pain from the weight it put on my neck. As the pavement continued on, I noticed there were more dead than there had been back in the city. "What the hell? Why are there so many?" It was like they were flocking somewhere. It was as if they had turned their attention towards me. "Am I what they are looking for?" The haze that was constantly trying to take over my vision was becoming the most annoying thing I've had to deal with in a long time. It was like my vision was just coming and going. Not really enhancing like it did last night. Was it the strain of the daylight that made it harder to see?

The horde was starting to grow around me. I slowed the motorbike down and looked to the zombies. Some of them were different than the rest. There were some that had boils and seemed to be mutated. Is that what I am? A mutated beast? I certainly wasn't normal. I could still talk and walk, fight as well. It was certainly an odd predicament. I pulled the bike to a stop and watched as all the infected around me came to a stop. They looked at me with the dull glares and moans escaping their decomposing mouths.

As the minutes seemed to take forever to pass, I was soon surrounded by several of these rotting walking corpses. If I didn't move soon, there would be too many to handle. I wasn't sure what I was supposed to do. They didn't attack me. They just seemed to glare at me with empty stares. Did they want me to command them? I just didn't know what to do.

"There stands one..her flesh...her flesh is rotting like ours.." A voice came out of nowhere and then the zombies spread out allowing a couple of people to walk in between them. Like me, the zombies were not attacking them. They were ignoring them as if they were just like them. "Crave her.. We must devour no matter the decomposition.."

One was a blonde and the other a darker skinned woman. They both had patches of cloth covering the bites they had encountered when this all happened. "Who are you? Why are you here? Have you been bitten as well?" the dark skinned woman spoke. Her eyes were completely white and a golden hue to the iris. It seemed all unnatural. Why was this infection different for some?

I nodded in agreement to her question. "I'm A.Z. Who are you?" I questioned. I was curious but not really wanting to get friendly with anyone just yet - I don't care if they were just like me. Walking abominations among the dead.

"I'm Charlotte and this is my sorority sister, Jackie. We've been heading east away from the hell here in Ohio.." The blonde didn't seem to notice anything except what she was sniffing out. They looked just like me. Basically the infection had put us on a plane, where we weren't exactly dead and yet we were far from living. "What is it you have there?" Charlotte asked. Her blonde friend Jackie continued to sniff me over, stopping to focus on the front breast pocket of my jacket.

I looked to them and backed away, slipping a hand in the pocket and pulling out a small stick of jerky and some pepperoni. "Just pepperoni.." Jackie knocked it out of my hand and it hit the ground. "Why pepperoni?!"

I looked to Charlotte as I backed up against my bike. "It's what I've been eating to quell th-"

"The hunger?" the dark skinned woman questioned. "The undying need to eat flesh. Heh, I wish we had come up with that. We've had to..eat people. I regret eating my own little sister. It was so stupid. She and my mom...they turned into those things. I didn't even want to do it. But the hunger hit me hard. The craving for flesh. I needed it. Even as my own flesh began to decompose...I craved theirs."

I lowered my head. "I'm sorry to hear that.."

Charlotte broke out into laughter. "Oh don't be! It's what this world has turned into. It is what we must do to survive. I have even considered eating the rotting meat.. Since everyone else is gone, I have nothing.." She turned to Jackie before looking back at me. "I would even eat Jackie here if she'd allow it."

This woman seemed mad. Seemed like she had completely lost her mind. Her body had already turned into one of these zombies but her mind was still there. I understood that she had probably bitten her family members before they turned, thus killing them. That would drive anyone mad.

I turned around and straddled my bike. The groans and moans from the infected still watching as the sun passed in the sky. I looked to the both of them and began to rev up my engine. "I've got to go.."

Jackie put her mangled hand on the bike to hold it there. "You don't understand," Charlotte spoke. "You are going to be our meal starting now. Jackie get her!" Jackie started to make her move towards me but I kicked her back. She growled as her body began to morph. Her muscles seemed to be growing larger and it was entirely unnatural. But anything in this world would be considered unnatural already. Her bikini top that she had been wearing stretched around her body as she let out another roar. Even Charlotte was stepping backwards as she looked to her friend. "Wait, Jackie..what's wrong?" she questioned.

I started up the motor of my bike and swung my bat around trying to make a path for me to get through. This woman was going berzerk. It was like the infection was causing an unusual change in her. It was freaking me out. Jackie's body continued to grow out of control. I drove off just as she threw Charlotte out of the way with a single swipe of her arm. I revved the motor more as I looked in the rearview. The fucking bitch was on my fucking ass! She looked like something out of a goddamned video game. It didn't make any sense. Why was she mutating? Would I mutate as well?

I dodged a car that flew past my head as I continued on my way. "Fuck, she's a goddamn tank!" I looked in the rearview mirror and continued on. Thankfully I was able to outrun her. I would have been killed by that thing. This infection was too much. My heart was still beating slow and my breathing normal yet ragged, even though I had just outrun death herself.

Survival in this apocalypse would be tough. I'd have to avoid anyone. Everyone. Everything. But how long could I do that? I was only one person. If it wasn't the fucking survivors wanting to kill me on sight, it was the recently infected wanting to devour me. I shook my head clear of the thoughts of what could have happened and focused on what I needed to do. I'd need gas soon for this fucking bike. But even now, I'm afraid to stop. While the sun was in the sky, I'd have to keep going. I'd stop after dark. I had wondered where the others like me were but now after seeing them, I didn't even want to run into anyone else. I'll have to survive. On my own.


	5. Chapter 5: Trust in the Dead

***Chapter Five: Trust in the Dead - Perhaps I can trust him.***

3 days since I last ate anything. My body is completely on the verge of eating me from the inside out. My stomach is gnawing and seemingly growling. I ran out of the pepperoni then and any store I've gone into has been nothing but a wasteland. The food has spoiled that might have been sustenance for me to devour. The shelves cleared of any canned meats I might have been able to quell this evil desire within me. "Fuck." The hunger was almost unbearable. Just what was it about this virus that made me want and seek flesh? I couldn't figure it out. I might have to succumb to the fact that I'll have to eat a human soon enough. It would be wrong, but I'd have to do something. I didn't want to let this 'thing' consume my very being. I'd been fighting it for this long, I think I can handle a little longer.

I hopped on my bike and tried to start it but it wouldn't. I looked down at the gas dial. "Double fuck!" I knew cursing got me nowhere but it was the only thing about me that was still me. I had filled up back at the Ohio state line but even that was almost fumes coming out of the only pump that still worked. Or at least hadn't blown up yet. I got off of it and kicked the tire. The pressure from my kick burst the tire and it went flat. "Fucking piece of crap." I was finally at my last rope. My hunger had finally gotten to me. The craving need had finally entered my brain. I screamed out in total terrifying agony as I felt my skin crawl. I was starting to lose it. It felt like there was nothing left to live for. I fell to the ground and looked to the smoky sky. "Mom...I failed you.."

That was when I heard a vehicle approaching. It was still far away but I could hear it from a few blocks over. I looked in the direction and saw it was coming towards me. I stood up and covered my eyes because the vehicle had the brights on. It was the middle of the day but with the smoke in the atmosphere from all the burning, it was tough to see, even for me. It stopped within a few feet of me and I peered around the front to attempt at a glimpse of who was driving. The door opened and I stepped back, grasping my bat in my hand. If this was another survivor that was bent on killing me, I'd have no choice to kill them - and worse, devour their flesh.

"Hey, if it isn't someone like me," a male voice came from the vehicle as the figure closed the door. A man stepped out of the van and began walking towards me. His arm had a huge hunk taken out of it and some type of silk wrapped around it in an attempt to cover it. "You can put that bat down. See? I'm putting down my chainsaw." He put his weapon on the ground and continued to walk towards me. "Can ya speak?" he muttered before he took another step. He seemed alright except for the fact his skin was pale and grey with specks of blood on his shirt and his pants torn at the bottom.

I put my bat down and stepped away from the bike. "I'm...I'm AZ," I muttered. "Who are y-Ahhh!" I clasped my abdomen as I looked to him, almost collapsing to the ground. My hunger had reached its limit. The feeling was unbearable. The man ran to the back of the van and opened the hatch before he ran back to me. He popped open a can and turned me over on my back. He pulled out a small piece of food and placed it in my mouth.

"It's not much, but it will help." His voice was raspy because of the infection but his smile was genuine. He seemed to be like me. Like the infected me, anyway. I looked to him as I began to chew. My taste was nearly gone but I could still sense that it was something I had eaten before. A vienna sausage. I quickly grabbed the can from him and began to devour it. I pushed my fingers into the can not caring if I cut them or not. I couldn't really feel my fingertips that much more anyway. The blood from my body seeped from the cuts as I ate the last one. I was saddened there wasn't another until he spoke again. "I've got more if you want to come with me."

I looked to him. My once blue eyes now golden in color as I looked into his pools of the same color. It was something about this infection that changed a person. This disease that had cursed everyone on Earth was now putting people on a plane where they were bordering life and death. Just what was this? I nodded to him as I finally had the strength to stand once more. I reached my backpack and grabbed my bat from the ground. "How have you survived?" I asked of him.

"Pretty much the same way you have. Eating food that isn't human flesh. I couldn't stomach that. I'd seen that in voodoo tribes around the world even before this...this infection wreaked havoc on this planet," he explained. "Oh where are my manners? I heard you mention your name is AZ. I'm Cash - not sure if I wanna give you my real name yet. Former sales associate at Best Buy. Or at least I was until a kid came in and bit my manager." He helped me get in the van before he walked around to do the same. "Where ya from? You couldn't have gotten far on that thing." he asked before he started driving past my bike.

I looked in the back of the van only to find different canned goods and some lunchmeat that was sealed tightly in its packaging. My mouth seemingly watered at the sight before I decided to answer. "Actually, I'm from Philly. I was in a grocery store when an employee bit my manager. Honestly, he was a douche and bit me too." I looked back to the back of the van once more. I was drawn to that heap of food. My stomach was craving more. More like the infection was craving more sustenance. I spotted some gas canisters back there. Perhaps that was for the van.

He continued to drive down the road and then he looked over at me. He reached back behind the seat as he drove fumbling for something. He pulled his hand back around holding a package of high quality salami that was tightly packaged. "Here. I've got more where that came from." He smiled as he looked to me. "Seems we both had crap jobs and awful bosses," he chuckled. "But none of that matters. The ones alive want to kill us and the recently infected are turning into monsters."

I gasped as I looked to him. "Monsters? You mean like mutants? You've seen them too?" I took a bite of the meat after I had managed to open the package.

"Yeah," he muttered. "Some bitches and a few jocks turned into...into something straight out of a video game. It didn't seem right. They started chasing me and they damn near busted the windshield," he said pointing to a crack in the corner of the front window.

I nodded as I started to take smaller bites, hoping to make this food last - even though there was a bunch in the back, I didn't know if he'd keep me close for long. "A couple of women were wanting to eat me and before I decided to get away, one of them turned into a huge monster with the strength similar to the Hulk."

His eyes widened. "Damn, I haven't seen one like that yet. Wait...they wanted to eat you? Were you already infected?"

"Yeah, that's what didn't make sense. They said that living flesh was lost to them, that they would eat infected meat if they had to survive."

Cash shook his head. "That isn't the way this works. If someone eats rotting flesh that's already infected, they'll...they'll become something way worse. That's what the jocks did to the bitches that were already turned. Then they turned into those things."

He seemed to know a lot about this stuff. I wasn't sure if that was a comfort or not. I finished the salami that he had given me and looked ahead. "So...where were you planning on heading?" I wasn't sure where I was going, but something about a military base seemed welcoming. Hell, he might not even take me with him anywhere. He could have been just trying to get someone on his side and I'm not even sure if I'm on that yet. With the hunger within me subsiding for the most part, I looked to him. I was starting to believe that I could trust this guy.

He shrugged. "Not sure yet. Don't know if anyone would even want me the way I am. Survivors have been trying to steal my stash but in their attempts, I've almost lost my head. It's not even been a week yet since this all went down and it fucking sucks. I just want to be on my couch playing Call of Duty.."

I smiled sitting back, relaxing in the car seat. "I just wanna be playing Left 4 Dead, but it seems I'm already doing that." I chuckled at the notion.

"Wait..AZ...you wouldn't be the AZ that always fucks up survivors for fun as a Tank would you?" he asked curiously. "AZ, as in AtomicZombeh?"

I looked to him not sure how to answer. Then I remembered he had said his name was Cash. "The same. And you wouldn't be Cash underscore Henson would you? The punk who always thinks he can take on a Tank solo?"

He scared me a bit when he laughed out loud, his voice quite raspy because of the infection. "Oh fucking hell yeah! I can't believe this! I've got The AtomicZombeh in my fucking van! You are a legend on the forums. I've gotten laughs from hearing what others have had to deal with playing against you. What was one of them? _'Great teammate skills, but monster as an enemy!'_ "

I looked to him with a smirk. "I've got a rep huh? Heh, like it does me any good now."

He put his hand on my shoulder. "Ah, don't worry about it. You've got a friend in me. I can't believe this.. AZ is a chick and she's in my van!"

He was having a nerdgasm in the driver seat as I looked over to him shaking my head. He seemed to be trusting enough. Hell, now that I knew it was Cash from my many hours of playing CoD and L4D, I felt at ease. Finally, someone that wouldn't want to kill me. It was seeming that not everyone wanted to fight alongside our kind either, even if they were one of us. We'd have to stick together for a while. I hoped he wouldn't turn into one of those things. But he said that it only happens when one of us eats another. As long as we didn't do that, we'd be fine. I finally found a safe haven, to a point. We'd have to keep going for as long as we could until we couldn't go anymore. That's where we'd stop. When we have nowhere else to go.


	6. Chapter 6: Surviving as a Unit

***Chapter Six: Surviving as a unit - Are you hitting on me?***

"Watch my back while I take a piss, will ya?" Cash asked walking around the back of the van, waving his hand in my direction. I shivered at the thought. Ugh, such a guy.

"Yeah, I've got ya back," I chided back to him. We had gone about 75 miles out of the way since the main highway had been jam-packed with abandoned vehicles. Numerous cars were smoldering from crashing into each other and exploding on impact. It was odd to think that there was actually someone else out there like me. Someone for once that wasn't anting to kill me. It seemed that everything was turning out to be alright. Certainly worth surviving for. Well, surviving as this - this abomination.

But our peaceful life wouldn't last long. Typical. I hit the back of the van. "Hey, hurry it up. I know you gotta drain the lizard but hell, we've got inbound.. Specials.." I pulled out a pistol we had gotten a few miles back and took aim. From my senses, there weren't any normal zombies out there, so the sound wouldn't cause any issues. We were out in the open and everything would be just fine if we just headshot the sons of bitches.

"I'm coming, damn.. With this fucking infection, it makes my whole damned body work out of whack." He came around from the back of the van, giving me a smirk - just staring at me. It was making me uncomfortable.

"Hey, what the hell are you staring at? Those are the things you need to be staring at," I mentioned pointing the gun towards the specials. They were making their way at a pretty fast pace. It was certainly odd how the tall ones were dripping acidic ooze out of their mouths and the small ones had to have been children at some point. Either that or they were grown men and the infection just deformed them to the point of being back-humpers.

He shook his head as he chuckled. "Oh nothing. I had just forgotten how hot a chick is when she's packing heat.." He pulled out his shotgun and looked around. "So, we should be able to headshot them yeah?"

I couldn't believe what I had just heard. Was he hitting on me? Nah, he couldn't be. I shook my head as I looked to the infected. "Yeah, Cash. We should be able to use only a few bullets and then hit the road before any zombies come our way." I took aim at one of the infected and pulled the trigger. The bullet shot left the chamber in a flash, leaving sparks and a trail of smoke as it blasted from the end of the snubnose point, making its mark right square in the middle of the special's forehead. Ooze spilling from the point as it collapsed to the litter covered ground. "Fucking A!" I smirked as I blew on the end of the gun, my raspy breath chasing away the smoke left at the end.

Cash could only hoot and holler. "Ohh fuck yeah. I've got such a boner right now!"

He pulled the trigger of his shotgun while making his way towards the special infected. "Another one bites the dust, oh yeah!" he shouted out loud as he dropped another one. And another. I was firing off single shots into each one of their heads. The blood spattering from some while others were collapsing in a puddle of acid. Almost like spitters. Then it hit me. These weren't normal mutations. I'd seen them before.

Once the last one was dropped, I looked to Cash who was kicking the face in of one of the infected. "Cash.." I said reloading the gun.

"Yeah?" he asked turning around wiping his boot on the grass to rid it of the brain matter.

"Don't these mutations seem...familiar?" I asked him. They should anyway. Of all the hours he and I played Left 4 Dead, he should know them as well as I do. The acidic goo is totally Spitter shit. The deformed ones are really back-humpers. They're jockeys. And the women from before. The one was a fucking Tank. I knew it. I felt it within me. Something was certainly up with this.

Cash stopped midway, looking back at the bloody remains of the corpses and then continuing on to meet back up with me. "Nah, they couldn't be, could they? They're not really specials.. That's just in video games."

I shook my head and shrugged my shoulders. "I'm not sure. But hell, with all that has happened to us in the last few weeks, I wouldn't put it past the universe to throw some more bullshit towards us.." I moved towards the van and checked the gas tank. We'd have about 20 more miles before we'd have to fill up and by then, it would be dark.

"True that.." he said getting in the driver seat. It felt odd enough that we thought we would need to get somewhere before dark. I wasn't sure if we'd be able to see some of the specials by nightfall. Then we'd be truly fucked. Some of these damn fuckers would certainly destroy us if we were to ever let our guard down.

Soon enough, dark was upon us and we couldn't see two fucking feet in front of us. Well, that would be what it would normally, but we were infected and could see everything. Well, not everything. Not the fucking tree that miraculously was thrown in our path by a Tank. Oh, don't worry, the Tank was taken care of with ease, but the van was - well, it has seen better days.

Cash could only shrug his shoulders. "Beats me. I guess we could pack what we can into the backpacks and hoof it to the nearby town.. But that's not so bad, is it?" he asked.

There was that damn charm of his again. Was he really trying to hit on me? "I guess not," I responded. "But we should do it quickly. I don't want to deal with another one of these fuckers." I kicked the body of the Tank who looked almost more human than zombie. I turned to the back of the van and began packing shit that we would need. This would be a hard time without a working vehicle, but it would be worth it in the end.

Every now and again, I would catch Cash looking in my direction. He was becoming a bit odd, but I didn't think much of it. He was the only survivor that hadn't tried to kill me - hell he was like me. Anyway, keeping my mind on track. I pulled the satchel over my shoulder and started walking. He was close behind. We could hear the moans and groans of several infected moving in our direction. We'd have to hoof it fast.

We made it to the edge of the town and it was smoldering as well. But what wasn't nowadays? I looked to Cash and sighed. "Hey, I've been meaning to ask you - have you been trying to hit on me?" I stopped short as he seemed to freeze in place. He turned to me, his face as red as a face can get when it's filled with the infection.

"Um, no - I haven't - ahem...um...Well," he was stumbling over his own words. It only made me laugh inside.

"I'm not meaning to put you on the spot - but the comments. They're kinda hard to miss." I winked at him as I continued walking.

"Well, wait - was it that obvious?" he asked, his voice changing tones to a higher one.

I laughed. "Oh god, yes. It was very obvious. I say we should find somewhere to camp out. We'll have to find a vehicle come the morning or we won't make it out to California or wherever in the fucking hell we are trying to get to."

Cash seemed embarassed but he continued on. This was nice. Having someone to tease, to talk to, to survive with. It's like we were living our favorite zombie game and it was nice. _Growl._ "Fuck, I'm starving!" we both screamed out at the same time.


End file.
